Each and every Wednesday, the entire GovLoop team convenes for an hour-long staff meeting where we go over assignments, new projects, projections, and any other issues that we face as a company — much like any other organization does on a regular basis. But the GovLoop team has a bit of a different twist on our weekly staff meetings: we kick off each one with an icebreaker.
You may think that icebreakers are only for groups that don’t yet know each other well. The GovLoop team knows each other pretty darn well — we’re a rather rowdy, chatty group, and we spend a lot of time outside of work together — but we still find these icebreakers invaluable. They set the tone for the meeting, and oftentimes we learn new things about each other that we never would have thought to ask.
Last week, our icebreaker was a particularly inspiring one. Everybody was asked to share, in 10 words or less, the best advice they’ve ever received. Since it was so inspiring and valuable to us as a team, we thought we’d share it with you, too. See below for our words of wisdom — then, in the comments, tell us, in 10 words or less, the best advice you’ve ever received.
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“Don’t take yourself too seriously.” — Tommy Bowen, junior designer
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“Treat everyone exactly the same.” — Catherine Andrews, director of content
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“If you’re leanin’, you’re cleanin’.” — Doug Mashkuri, vice president of business development (The meaning? If you’ve got time to be leaning around, learn something new in your role or company.)
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“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” — Megan Dotson, senior client success consultant & event director
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“Live in a way that conjures fear.” — Andrew Krzmarzick, director of learning and development
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“If you hang around trash, you’ll attract flies.” — Christine Burke, digital marketing manager
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“If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, take it.” — Julia Taylor, senior learning consultant
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“If you don’t take the time, the time will take you.” — Rachel Niebeling, Digital Marketing Fellow
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“Work should make you cry on a quarterly basis.” — Amy DeWolf, senior client success consultant (The meaning? You should be invested enough and passionate about your work that it’s okay if it upsets you once in a while.)
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“Fail fast.” — Erik Eitel, business development specialist
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“Plans mean nothing; planning is everything.” — Pat Fiorezna, senior research analyst
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“Be expectant but not expecting.” — Jeff Ribeira, senior interactive designer
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“Go forth with confidence.” — Jake Brennan, design fellow
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“Don’t make big decisions during life lows.” — Hannah Moss, research analyst
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“Be kind, don’t be undermined.” — Emily Jarvis, online and events editor
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“Never complain, never explain.” — Corinne Stubbs, brand ambassador fellow
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“Be nice.” — Eric Pesachowitz, senior sales consultant
Leave your best advice for the GovLoop community in the comments below!
“The right thing to do is often NOT the easy thing to do”
Always do what is right….even if no one is watching you.
Thank you for the great article and advice. What happened to the “awesome” icon when we like an
article? Also, the text wraparound is a little weird.
This is a great article. I like ‘getting to know’ the GovLoopers this way. Best advice I ever got:
“There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be.”
If you’re comfortable, you’re not progressing.
“Its nice to be important but more important to be nice”
Two wrongs never equal a right.
But sometimes 3 lefts equals a right.
Always bring a pad and pen MEANING: Think ahead and be prepared.
“Nothing is ever simple or easy. Plan accordingly.”
Be Excellent.
Listen….Learn….Lead
You begin to learn, when you realize how little you know.
“It is what it is.”
There’s something wrong with your character if opportunity
controls your loyalty.
. I understand that Megan Dotson borrowed and used famous writer, Ralph Emerson’s quote, “Noting great even happening without enthusiasm.” I
Honesty is the best policy.
“Get out and meet people. The more people you know, the more likely you are to know someone with the resources you need to get the job done.”
“Don’t sweat the small stuff”
“Say what needs to be heard, not what they want to hear.” Grace Hopper
“If you don’t stop until you get there, you’ll get there every time.” — 13 words, but still damn good advice!
Never, but never give up!
“As one door closes, another door opens” (meaning never feel that you are trapped or there is no
way out of a bad situation/environment. Be optimistic for the future. The open door could be your
next big opportunity).
Full disclosure: my quote came from a great book called, “The Millionaire Next Door.” Here’s the full quote in context: http://bit.ly/courageconjuresfear
“Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.” – Robert Heinlein
OK, maybe that’s more than 10 words, but it is sound advice. Perhaps “Pick your battles” is more appropriate (but not nearly as amusing!)
Good enough seldom is… It only takes a little bit more to go first class.
the best advice I ever heard came from the class coordinator of my A-100 (Foreign
Service Entry Class) who told us the number one rule of sucess in the Foreign
Service and life in general was “Don’t be a Jerk.”. Our class adopted that as our class motto !
Thanks
Jake Aller
“Hope for the best, plan for the worst.”
“Never Rule Yourself Out” (For an opportunity that you are hoping/striving for).
You will never get everything, so set your priorities right (at least get the most important things first)
“stay above the fray”
This is my 5 yrs old grand-daughter’s favorite, “You get what you get, and don’t throw a fit.”
Same amount of time passes regardless of action or inaction.
Plan your work and work your plan.
“Never criticize, condemn, or complain.” – Dale Carnegie
A good leader is a good follower.
They need to know that you care before they care what you know.
You never quit learning until you are six feet under.
2 come to mind – “Play the hand you’re dealt” and “Don’t try to control the weather”
If you fail to plan – you plan to fail! (meaning if you don’t make a plan for how you will achieve a goal (s) – you will fail
How do I handle, treat, affect others its about (-)
It’s how I handle, treat, affect others my dash (-).
“Leaders lead.” Howard Hendricks
“Words mean things.” Rush Limbaugh
Know your resources.
From my father when I graduated from High School. “Get your head pointed in the right direction and your a%# (butt) will follow”.
From my first mentor: There are no problems, there are only opportunities.
“If you know something, share it”
“Leaders are always dealing with changes, if not, then they are repeating not leading”
.
Tact the ability to make a point without making an enemy
Plan for the worst, Pray (Hope) for the best.
Stop. Listen. Think. Speak!
The best (and most concise) advice I ever got was from my high school science teacher: “Mas vale la maña que la fuerza.” Basically, cleverness is better than muscle. And applicable to science, engineering and life.
If you have to choose between being right or being kind, choose being kind
and you’ll always be right…
From Mother Teresa, “The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.” and from my father after a high school boyfriend broke up with me, “Everything is going to be OK.”
If you are going to start something give it 110% or don’t do it at all.
“You have to be willing to pick up a broom. ” (No matter what your position is you should be willing to look after the small details.)
Never heard that one, but I like it a lot!
“Change, the only constant in our lives-deal with it!”
Be a good human as mentioned in Holy Qurran,
“Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.” I’ve translated this to the workplace as just because we’ve always done something a certain way doesn’t mean it can’t be done better.
I have two I use regularly.
“You can’t get a “Yes” unless you ask.” For me, this means that there are no mind readers in the world and we need to learn to speak up for what we want. We might not always get it, but if we don’t ask we can’t get it.
“Keep your focus on #1 or you’ll end up in #2.” Sometimes known as MYOB. 😉
Your failures don’t define you – your response does!
It’s never too late to do the right thing…
“Orange trees grow oranges, apple trees grow apples”. The meaning being: things and people have their own nature – play to their nature.
“Surround yourself with people that are smarter than you.”
“No hill for a stepper”
The easiest choice is never the best choice.
Be true to yourself and consistently act with integrity
If you’re the smartest one in the room, you’re in the wrong room.
Don’t throw your trash in my back yard, my back yard is full.
My hubby’s favorite advice to soldiers under him: “Use your head for more than a hat rack”
“Everything works out in the end, if it doesn’t it’s not the end”
*More than ten, sorry
Live all you can. It’s a mistake to do otherwise.
Those who speak the loudest have the least to say
Play hard – everyday, all day.
Meaning – incorporate play into life in all ways: listen to music & dance & sing (even at your desk or with the vacuum), make menial tasks fun by turning them into games and competitions, do everything with a smile. As you become more playful in life, it is more rewarding and enjoyable no matter what bumps and obstacles get in the way.
“When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!” – My mom used to tell me this when I was panicking about something silly. Probably not be good advice to follow literally, but it reminds me to keep my head on even when things get stressful, because if you keep your cool on the outside, no one will know that you are freaking out on the inside!
This, too, shall pass.
“Be excellent to each other. Party on, dudes!” – Bill S. Preston, Esquire and Ted Theodore Logan
If you don’t shoot, you can’t score.
Creative minds discuss: ideas; Average minds – : events; Small minds – people.
[…] I’ve spoken before about the fact that for our weekly GovLoop staff meetings, we usually do an ice breaker to kick things off. You’ve learned a little bit about us through some of those icebreaker results we’ve shared, like the best advice we’ve ever received. […]
“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one”
― Bruce Lee
“Everyone you meet knows something you don’t”
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